WASHINGTON _ A bill to establish a women's history museum has enough co-sponsors to pass in the House of Representatives, its sponsors announced on Thursday.
The Smithsonian Women's History Museum Act, titled H.R. 19 to commemorate the year women go the right to vote, was signed on by 227 members of Congress this week.
"In the most hostile Congress in history, we have found something we can all agree on and that is a National American Women's History Museum," New York Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney said. She introduced the bipartisan bill with California Rep. Ed Royce.
"We have a majority to pass this important legislation," Maloney said. "Women are too often left out of textbooks, the halls of Congress, our monuments."
As a result of this week's update, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, House Administration Committee, and the House Appropriations Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Subcommittee all received letters from Maloney and Royce calling for them to hold hearings.
Maloney and Royce are pursuing support from the executive branch, too, and said they told first lady Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump about their efforts at last week's Congressional Picnic at the White House.
The bill has also received bipartisan support from the Senate.
"We also have Senator (Susan) Collins and Senator (Dianne) Feinstein who will sponsor in the Senate, giving us the necessarily bicameral support, as well," Royce said.
Democratic Reps. Lois Frankel, Eleanor Holmes Norton and Brenda Lawrence and Republican Rep. Mia Love were also at the news conference.
"An original co sponsor from 20 years ago, we're determined," Maloney said introducing Holmes Norton.
